Life is a Cabaret Old Chum, Demo Tonight!

One hour demo
My class yesterday at The California Art Institute
Busy class!!!
Portrait/figure/still life
Join us Wednesdays

You are invited.

Portrait demo tonight for The Malibu Art Association

7 p.m.

Small fee

The Michael Landon Center

24250 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

The Face of Malibu By Johanna Spinks

The Face of Malibu By Johanna Spinks, Dr Bill Swarout, featured in this week's Malibu Times
NFS

I remain honored that The Malibu Times is featuring my Face of Malibu portrait series. This series is hot on the heels of my Face of Ventura project, now in the permanent collection of the Museum of Ventura County.

Here is the latest sitter Dr. Bill Swartout, painted from life in a single sitting. He has an interesting story. Read by clicking here

Turned out to be quite a colorful sketch. A camera crew was behind me. That may explain why.

I seem to be in a very colorful mode right now.

A Happy Portrait Client is A Good Thing

A recent portrait commission delivery. It was a biggie, five foot by three, and with its' five inch frame, only just able to fit in my car for delivery. Going to  home in Texas. Wonderful clients. And happy ones too, including the pooches.

Recent portrait commission delivery
Five foot by three
By Johanna Spinks

The client threw a lovely unveiling party for the portrait sitter.. A grand time was had by all.

The Best En Plein Aire Box?

"The Way Forward. Malibu"
Johanna Spinks
Oil on Linens 4"x10"
$395
Purchase at my online store :click

Painting at Peter Strauss Ranch yesterday with my "secret' box. It magically paints everything for me.

Recently I have been out and about painting a lot of sketches en plein air taking a much needed break from the rigors of portrait deadlines in the studio. More deadlines starting next week so I have made use of the time. It has felt marvelous. It has also felt like the ONLY thing I wanted to do. Nature equals nurture.

I have been around a lot of artists during these recent 'landscapades', and some GREAT ones, many from far afield, including at Jeremy Lipking's February workshop www.lipking.com in an assisting role capacity to him. Now there's a guy who can paint landscapes!

There is a ton of  talk about painting boxes. Which is best?  Paint boxes seem more fascinating than how Marilyn Monroe really died or did O.J. do it? Along with a few other of life's great unanswered questions. 

Soltek versus the current hottie Alla Prima? Guerilla Pochade versus Mabef?  And all the other whizz boxes I don't even know the names of and can't spell. Sorry to say, I don't know the best one.  All I do know is these boxes are more expensive than a Mercedes monthly car payment, not that I have one of those. 

I also know expensive boxes won't make you a good landscape painter and they lend somewhat toward personal taste, like shoes.

I also know understanding values, composition, drawing, edges, and color temperature will make you paint well from an old shoe box.  Along with soul. A few creature comforts packed in that box, will also help you stay on location well.  Clothing in layers, hand wipes, trash bags for rags, sunscreen, bug spray, hat, water, cell phone, snacks, and I now keep my car keys on a tie around my neck. Lost keys on location? Big problem. I know to my expense.

So what do I use? I have spent my inheritance on every single thing Guerilla Painters pochade company ever made owning two of its boxes and every super sexy slinky dinky accessory. I was among this company's earliest of fans and sent many people to its' way. I have enjoyed these boxes. I have travelled internationally with them many times but my paintings often looked far from sexy or the way I wanted them to. Nothing to do with Guerilla. 

Now I use a box and set up that works for ME. It is a very personal thing. Only learned perhaps by doing it. These days I  like a very small lightweight compact set up that can be carried/rolled in one trip. NO going back to the car. I don't like to sweat and puff. Best of all, I have no care to defend it to those  art box purists.

My box was made for me by a retired police officer, the lovely Bob W.,  who I first found out about from the stellar artist Morgan Weistling during a workshop I did with Morgan in 2003. www.morganweistling.com. Bob was the model. 

Bob is a real craftsman as well as a dedicated artist. He makes art boxes for artists whose work he wants to collect. He and his lovely wife now have  an outstanding HUGE art collection by the way,  worthy of a museum, including, I am honored to say, two of mine.

Bob and I reconnected two years ago when I was lucky enough to assist Morgan Weistling at Weekend With The Masters. I told Bob how much I had wanted one of his boxes for a decade. Soon enough, I was invited to his home having a lovely time with him and his wife.

I can't tell you how much I treasure my box. I use it ALL the time. And I think about Bob, about to turn 80 years-old, each time. I know I will paint on it for the rest of my life. It gives me good vibes and confidence somehow whilst fitting my compact needs.

So that is what I think about art en plein aire boxes. Find what works for you. You will probably spend a bit of money so perhaps try an old shoe box first.

Bob, if you are reading this, I covet  that little attachment. You know the one I mean. Just saying...

Morning Coffee and Paint...

My painting view this morning over morning coffee, the beautiful Saddlerock Peak near my studio. It lifts my spirits daily. Come paint it with me one day? At my summer workshop?

"Morning Inspiration"
4"x12"
Oil on linen board
$395
PURCHASE HERE
 http://joh6901.wix.com/johannaspinksstore

How to Find The Focal Point

Inner Glow
16x12
$350, free shipping

All I was thinking in this demo at my teaching class, The California Art Institute, was to take something fairly complex, the human form, wrapped in a luscious robe, and make it simple, stupid.

Decide on a focal point and stick to it. This is also really important in landscape painting on site when the light is moving fast.

Deciding on the focal point can be obvious sometimes - or not. Tons of books have been written on the subject. Edgar Payne a favorite of mine for learning more about compositional concepts. http://www.edgarpayne.com/

"Composition of Outdoor Painting" By Edgar Payne
http://www.amazon.com/Composition-Outdoor-Painting-Edgar-Payne/dp/0939370115/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_1

I tend to trust my instincts and do what excites me, for better or worse!

PURCHASE HERE
 http://joh6901.wix.com/johannaspinksstore

Ms. Millie Decker
The Face of Malibu appearing in The Malibu Times
Oil on Canvas, 16 x 15, gold leaf.

Why do I love painting portraits so much? Because of moments like these and people like Millie Decker, Malibu's legendary cowgirl stilling roping in the charm at 92 years old. Her family was among the very first to settle in Malibu before it became, well, Malibu.I painted Millie in a single life sitting for  my Face of Malibu, a project of mine that is appearing in The Malibu Times. Storytelling meeting the painted portrait.

Please read about Millie here

http://www.malibutimes.com/malibu_life/article_f3f0d496-8618-11e2-b317-0019bb2963f4.html?fb_action_ids=10200544208424895&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

Painting Under Cool Light.

"Zumba Wrap"
By Johanna Spinks
Oil and Gold Leaf On Archival Board
12"x16"
free shipping
$995

Come study with me this Friday, March 8th,  at my First Friday Atelier (delayed!) in the beautiful Malibu Highlands. 

 We will be painting from the life model under cool light conditions pretty similar to this sketch I painted at the weekend at my pal Jeremy Lipking's studio. He sure knows a thing or two about cool light and lots of folks had flown in for the weekend to see how he makes cool magic. Lipking's approach has made him one of today's most successful young figurative artists in the world. View his work: here

I have been lucky enough to be around Lipking quite a lot over the last year consolidating my art thoughts on a few things: first, that Lipking is truly a master of cool, among other things, and secondly, if one follows a few rules things seem to go a lot smoother.

Basically the rule of thumb is "where there is cool light, there are warm shadows". Art rules are usually meant to be broken but  I haven't seen this one broken too well.   If you have cool light and cool shadows, your sketch will be fit for the morgue - or the sitter will sure look like he/she is heading that way. Also, one can really push the shadows, making them warmer than they appear on the sitter. Transparent shadows are good too of course

Artists seem to have trouble with this cool skin stuff often sticking to the 'mustard and ketchup' approach,  mixing between a basic white, yellow and red to get PEACH. Many seem to paint PEACH for years before throwing a cool into it. 

I find it helps to have a basic mid-value mix on the palette that is cool,  to dip all my light mixtures into, avoiding any yellows until much later on.  That yellow will of course be a very cool one. Lemon yellow comes to mind. On this sketch, I used a grey pre-mix the color of fawn suede. Some super cool mauves, blues and pinks are handy to have around too.  Lipking taught me this. I don't think he would mind me sharing with you that he favors a mauve mix made from alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue and white. He has been using this mix now for years.

I wouldn't get away perhaps with this cool skin tone on a portrait commission but, hey, art collectors of my non-portrait work seem, well, quite peachy about it.

Jeremy Lipking teaches year-round, all information at www.lipking.com

Palette Knife Portraits

"The New York Times Crossword"
NFS
By Johanna Spinks
Oil, 12x16
Palette Knife

When I pick up the palette knife to paint a portrait I feel like I am 'home'. I can't explain it. It's a 'feeling thing'. Have you ever felt that way?

 I never get to work this way on commissioned portraits but I wish I could.

This is hot off today's easel...painted with no brushes at all. It takes me a little longer but I like all the carving out of the planes with a knife like you are a sculptor and the happy accidents of paint slopping about.

I also enjoy the effects from the different shaped knives.

I also enjoy most of all not having to clean brushes afterward.

Paint in the beautiful Malibu Wine Country

NOW how fun is this? If you like top-notch painting instruction, good food, company and spectacular Malibu vineyards and  wine? Limited space. Filling up fast. Email with any questions, johanna@johannaspinks.com

365 Days To Live In Paris

"Gay Paris"
SOLD
Johanna Spinks
oil and silver leaf on archival board
]

365 Days to live in  Paris...I have decided I want to live in Paris for a year -with my art.

Day One

Intending It...and painting something with a red french beret.

View from the studio today.
My trusty  palette will be coming with me to Paris

Going Under The Knife?

Palette Knife Portrait Begins. No brushes used at all. 

This morning I am going under the knife - the palette knife that is.

This afternoon I am working hard on finishing up a large triple portrait commission so a quick blast with a palette knife on a looser portrait sketch re-energizes me and gives the big portrait some drying time.

I often find doing something like this to start my art day makes me paint better when I get to the big stuff. Bit like a ballerina doing her 'barre' excercises before she takes the big leap into a pirouette.

Ok,,,back to two easels....

LOVE IN ART

Love Letters Home
12x18
Mixed media on paper
$150

Happy Valentines Day Everyone.

This is one of the few remaining drawings from my year in drawing 2010. I can't quite believe most of the drawings sold but they did. 365 is a big number and that's a lot of drawings.

Maybe I need to draw again every day for a year. What say you? I am severely tempted.

Go out and hug someone today!

FEEL THE LOVE, RECEPTION TIME

I have finished this still life just in time!

The Valentine Letter
12x16, oil on board
By Johanna Spinks
SOLD

10 minute value/color block-in, 6x8, sold

End of demo at my January Monthly Workshop

It's now or never. Come "Feel The Love", my show reception, tomorrow, Thursday. 4 - 7 pm, Crowell, Weedon & Co., 5740 Ralston St., Ventura, CA. Wine, Food and Song. A  portrait sitting to be won by raffle draw, 10 per cent of sales donated to FOOD Share.

I have over 100 pieces in this solo show, including The Face of Ventura portrait collection.

Garden Party
12 x 16, oil on canvas
$500
Available for purchase here
http://www.etsy.com/shop/JohannaSpinksFineArt?ref=search_shop_redirect



Happy Saturday.
I don't know about you but I love garden parties, sunshine and painting roses. Some students of mind find roses hard to paint and get impatient with them.  I love painting roses but they don't always co-operate with me. I kinda love this little painting and find it hard to part with. It makes me feel happy. How about you?

Doing color/value studies

Morning Friends:

I love to do color/value studies for my paintings...I try to be as loose as possible and get as much color in as I can of all different color temperatures.

Come study with me this Friday at my Atelier Day at my studio in the Malibu Highlands. The day includes a yummy lunch and a lot of fun...

Or you can join me tomorrow at The California Art Institute.

Email me for details johanna@johannaspinks.com

I will post more about color sketches later.

Color/Value Sketch

Would love to see you!

Naughty or Nice?

"JOY"
By Johanna Spinks
12 x 16 Original Oil on Canvas
$550.00 pls CA sales tax and $15 shipping
SOLD

Naughty or nice? Santa wants to know...hot off the easel. And the perfect Holiday sizzle gift.

Day Two of 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

"Ahhh...Which One?"

16x16

Oil

Johanna Spinks

Here is Day Two of my 12 Days of Christmas/Holiday Gratitude Giveaway.

Tell me you favorite Holiday memory to enter the chance to win this 16 x 16 original oil. I will pick my favorite post. 

This post from yesterday won the Day One sketch:

This season I have chosen to be grateful for the things that money can't buy! The grin of four-year-olds,surprise kindnesses,and home town love expressed through thoughts and deeds.I'm grateful for my grandchildren,to be able to hug and kiss them-to see life through their eyes and share their plans and dreams.We won't remember the gifts,but we will remember the atsmosphere ,the support and the opportunity to give back to the one who were so careful with us.I know PEACE,and I feel cherished now, not always,but I am embracing it now.....

The Face of Malibu By Johanna Spinks

Lily Castro
The Face of Malibu
As featured in The Malibu Times this week

A new day, a new project, a new risk. What risks will you take today? I would love to hear...

Read more about The Face of Malibu By Johanna Spinks here:

http://www.malibutimes.com/malibu_life/article_0051d6fc-2932-11e2-8f84-0019bb2963f4.htmlhttp://www.malibutimes.com/malibu_life/article_0051d6fc-2932-11e2-8f84-0019bb2963f4.html

Positive thoughts...

"French Brew"
Johanna Spinks
Sold


Join me email newsletter list for a free tea cup print thru' November Tea Cup Madness


Morning Friends:


This cup of brew was painted while I was in France doing an international art residency in Dinan with Les Amis de La Grande Vigne. It is very sentimental for me. I was a little nervous on arriving. Would I be able to paint well? What would I find to paint? Would my schoolgirl french get me through. Well, that was rediculous, but you know how those negative thoughts spiral.

So, on my first day I ran into the local cafe off the beaten track and nervously ordered this in said SG french. It was a cold misty morning by the Rance River and the hot brew, and bright sugar packets, hit me just right. Restored my confidence.

This cup was begging to be painted and it was. It was the first painting of about 25 I did the whole month. Every time I look at it, those memories come flooding back.

Isn't it funny, how an image can do that? Much like a song.

Take on the day
Johanna